SVMs Need To Work Harder To Understand Stakeholder Needs

How well do you know your stakeholders? Business users today expect consumer-like usability and functionality from their work tools. And much of what they want to use can be purchased with a credit card rather than through a formal RFP process. Users' ability to self-provision software and devices inevitably causes one of two reactions from sourcing and vendor management (SVM) professionals we speak with — denial or panic. Neither reaction helps, so get a grip on what users need to enable them in their jobs. Employing a more in-depth and personal approach to requirements-gathering will help you capture a more accurate picture of their needs — increasing your value to the firm as well as their productivity.